Taxi Fleet (2)

Keith Prince: With the impending taxi age reduction, how many of the current licensed fleet will be mandated off the road between 1st November 2020 and 31st October 2021?

The Mayor: There are approximately 3,000 taxis in the existing fleet that would not be relicensed in the period 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2021.
Of those, around 800 would be 13 years old and the owners of these vehicles could surrender their licence before 1 November and seek a final 12-month licence to ensure the vehicle could work to its maximum age limit.
Taxi owners can also obtain funding from Transport for London to convert their vehicles to operate on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and operate the vehicle until it is 15 years old. Details of the LPG scheme can be found here: www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/emissions-standards-for-taxis.

Taxi Fleet (1)

Keith Prince: What is the total number of taxis in the current licensed fleet?

The Mayor: As of 6 September, the total number of licensed taxis was 16,978 and licensed taxi drivers was 21,683 (of which 2,572 are suburban taxi drivers).
This information is published weekly here: www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/licensing-information.

Congestion Charge Increase

Shaun Bailey: You have said the Congestion Charge increase is temporary – how long will it last?

The Mayor: As a condition of TfL’s funding agreement, the Government was clear that TfL must immediately reintroduce the Congestion Charge and urgently bring forward proposals to widen the scope and level of the charge. Following the reintroduction of the Congestion Charge, Ultra Low Emission Zone and Low Emission Zone for HGVs on 18 May, TfL announced temporary changes to the Congestion Charge, which were brought forward in accordance with TfL’s funding agreement with Government. On 22 June the Congestion Charge, which covers around one per cent of Greater London, temporarily increased to £15 a day and now operates 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Thetemporarychangesare beingkept under review,having regardto the transport challenges created bythe pandemic. Anysuchreview will take into accountimportantmilestonesin the response to the pandemic orsignificantchanges incircumstances.

TfL pay (2)

Gareth Bacon: What and how many bonuses are due to be made at TfL in 2020/21 and what is the anticipated total amount?

The Mayor: Performance Award schemes are an important element of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) reward package and enable it to recognise its employees for the contribution they make towards the success of the organisation. Schemes are in place covering Payband 1-3 employees in TfL, Senior Managers, Directors, Chief Officers and The Commissioner.
In respect of the 2019-20 performance year, payment of awards for Senior Managers, Directors, Chief Officers and the Commissioner have been deferred to June 2021. A decision has also been taken that performance award schemes for Senior Managers, Directors, Chief Officers and The Commissioner will be suspended for the 2020/21 performance year.
In respect of our employees in non operational areas of TfL below Senior Manager level, TfL intends to honour performance awards ranging from between 0.5% and 6%, dependent on individual performance rating, covering 5,981 eligible employees. The arrangements for this are being finalised.

A205 Pollution

Keith Prince: Please provide me with the pollution figures on every TfL monitoring station along the A205 for every month since January 2020.

The Mayor: There are three continuous air pollution monitoring stations in close vicinity to the A205 South Circular Road, forming part of the London Air Quality Network (LAQN). These monitor concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and/or PM2.5). Transport for London (TfL) part-funds the Westhorne Avenue site in collaboration with the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
There is an additional roadside site on Upper Richmond Road West, which is operated as part of the “Breathe London” project. Information on this site is available at https://www.breathelondon.org/. However, data from these sites is indicative only as it does not currently meet the same standards as continuous monitoring sites used in the LAQN.
The monthly average concentrations for each of the sites is provided in the attached table, along with the current 8-month mean average. The long-term limit required by law is an annual mean of 40ug/m3.

Bus Safety Data

Keith Prince: A review of the recently-published Q1 TfL Bus Safety Data Release doesn’t show any entries for the Bus Drivers who died from Covid-19 in March. Will the Mayor undertake to update the Q1 data and ensure these deaths are included in future Bus Safety Data releases?

The Mayor: The Bus Safety Data Release is a database which records the details (time, location and circumstances) of safety incidents that have occurred on a bus or at a bus station. Examples include collisions that result in injury to bus passengers, or customers who have fallen while moving around a bus. This logging system is intended to provide data for statistical reasons to support longer term safety evaluation.
While every death as a result of Covid-19 or other medical causes is a tragedy, if this occurs when the member of staff is not at work this is communicated by the bus operators to Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Buses Directorate separately.
TfL has asked University College London (UCL) Institute of Health Equity to provide independent advice to better understand the pattern of coronavirus infections and deaths among London’s bus workers and will ensure all possible measures to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of those working to keep the bus network moving. The second stage of this research will examine the potential contribution that occupation exposure plays in differences in infection and death rates between London’s frontline transport workers and the general London population.

School Bus Routes (2)

Alison Moore: What changes have you made to the routes in September? For example, limiting the buses to children from a certain school? What additional services have been introduced and how will you be preventing adults from using the services?

The Mayor: As well as asking schools and parents to encourage pupils to walk, cycle or scoot to school wherever possible, Transport for London (TfL) has made a number of changes to the bus network to help ensure children get to school safely and on time.
Transport for London (TfL) is running over 230 additional buses on busy routes, with every other bus operating as a school service on over 230 routes. These designated school services, along with TfL’s existing school routes, are prioritised for schoolchildren and operate at full seated capacity, consistent with Government guidelines for school bus services.
On the affected routes, buses carry a prominent school service or non-school service sign on the dashboard to inform customers. As they are still public service buses, TfL cannot prevent adults from boarding school services, but is strongly encouraging all adults who cannot retime their journeys to avoid school travel times to take non-school services in order to help ensure children get to school on time and support social distancing. TfL is strongly encouraging children to use the school services where they are provided, and is reminding all customers that everyone aged 11 and over must wear a face covering unless they are exempt.
TfL is widely communicating these changes to customers, including through emails, radio adverts, social media and information at bus stops. Bus drivers on the affected routes have also been briefed, and TfL has written to over 3,100 schools to encourage walking and cycling and inform them about the bus changes.

CCTV cameras for East Finchley

Andrew Dismore: You may recall the serious problem last winter of teenagers in East Finchley being mugged in the evenings. The SNT are requesting an improvement in local CCTV coverage in the area, especially from the tube station to the entrance to Cherry Tree Wood. Will you ask TfL to install and extra camera or cameras at the station, in consultation with the SNT, in order to improve safety here?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) will work closely with the Safer Neighbourhood Team, the British Transport Police and the local authority to understand the issues and how best to address any issues. After this investigation has been completed, TfL will be in a position to take appropriate action, which may include the installation of CCTV.

Barking Barrier Lifting Bridges Project

Andrew Boff: What is the status of the Barking Barrier Lifting Bridges project which would see greater pedestrian access across the Roding?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has previously undertaken early feasibility work to look at improving connectivity across the River Roding. The principle of a new crossing is supported by both the London Boroughs of Newham and Barking & Dagenham,and early work suggests there could be a good business case. This project is not currently being progressed further owing to a lack of funding, including necessary 3rd party funding. Should third party funding become available, TfL may be able to undertake further feasibility work.

Infrastructure Resilience Review

Caroline Russell: Network Rail has been asked by the Government to review its infrastructure’s resilience to extreme weather events. What work are you undertaking to ensure there is a similar quality audit of structures in London, including embankments, viaducts, bridges and tunnels, so that Transport for London (TfL) can plan adequately to mitigate any risks?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) takes a proactive, preventative approach to the management of its structures.
Its operational network structures, such as embankments, bridges and tunnels, are subject to a risk-based inspection and maintenance regime rather than an absolute time-based intervention. This then informs future inspection frequency and method (such as CCTV monitoring) and operational and capital maintenance budgets and requirements.
Inspections and assessments also inform TfL’s asset-based risk management, which allows it to consider resilience to likely future demands. For example, London Underground has conducted a comprehensive review of flood risk, while surface structures may have enhanced monitoring and inspections to manage the risk to key elements from severe weather. For both kinds of infrastructure, our Geographical Information System is used to identify vulnerable points on the network.
Climate change is included within a TfL-wide Enterprise Risk, and TfL is working to ensure each business area fully considers and identifies mitigations for climate change risks.

Streetspace (4)

Susan Hall: How much money is set aside but currently unallocated under the Streetspace Programme?

The Mayor: At present there is no outstanding funding to be allocated within the London Streetspace Programme (LSP). For both borough-led and Transport for London-led Streetspace schemes, it is expected that the entire Estimated Final Cost (EFC) calculated at the time of allocation will be spent by mid-October, the close of this phase of the LSP.

Investment to keep transport infrastructure resilient to the climate emergency

Caroline Russell: Hammersmith and Fulham council has indicated that the mid-August 2020 heatwave was a key factor in sudden expansion of cracks that led to the closure of the Hammersmith Bridge to all traffic, including people walking and cycling. What investment are you currently making to keep transport infrastructure resilient during a climate emergency, and are you considering any options for reducing the demands on structures using speed or weight limits, or by closing traffic lanes?

The Mayor: Please also see the answer to Mayor’s Question 2020/2611. London Underground and Surface Transport business plans are based on monetised safety and performance risk assessment and maintenance costs and take account of the funding constraints Transport for London (TfL) currently faces. TfL’s standards are rigorous, and it is also exploring how the latest UK climate projection data can best be factored into new infrastructure design.
TfL has developed severe weather plans that outline response and recovery priorities. These are activated on the basis of MetDesk forecasts and weather monitoring data, in line with TfL’s well-established weather management approach.
Restrictions on asset use are implemented when necessary. For example, on London Underground tracks, rail temperatures are monitored and if a defined critical rail temperature for a specific location is exceeded, a speed restriction will be implemented.